MIAMI – A judge ordered the Miami Dade School Board to relinquish public records about security at a middle school where a boy was stabbed to death.
In 2004, Jaime Gough, who was 14, was stabbed more than 40 times in his neck, face and hands at Southwood Middle School. A year later, the school board approved a $1.7 million settlement to the family.
So far, the Gough family has received $700,000. The district paid $200,000 while the district’s insurance company paid $500,000. The district agreed to help the family get a claims bill passed in order to receive the remaining $1 million. For the bill to pass, the family must obtain security records from the school. According to the family, the district refused to hand over the records.
Jorge Gough, the victim’s father, believes the files need to be made public so another incident like the one his child experienced doesn’t happen to another child. He adds that the school district has been blocking his efforts to acquire the documents.
School Board Chairman Agustin Barrera maintains that the district is not trying to hinder the family from receiving the claims bill.
The teen accused of stabbing Jaime, Michael Hernandez, faces charges of first-degree murder. If convicted as an adult, he will serve a mandatory life sentence in prison. Hernandez goes to trial in January.
